Digital supply chain through dynamic inventory and smart contracts

This paper develops a digital supply chain game, modeling marketing and operation interactions between members. The main novelty of the paper concerns a comparison between static and dynamic solutions of the supply chain game achieved when moving from traditional to digital platforms. Therefore, this study proposes centralized and decentralized versions of the game, comparing their solutions under static and dynamic settings. Moreover, it investigates the decentralized supply chain by evaluating two smart contracts: Revenue sharing and wholesale price contracts. In both cases, the firms use an artificial intelligence system to determine the optimal contract parameters. Numerical and qualitative analyses are used for comparing configurations (centralized, decentralized), settings (static, dynamic), and contract schemes (revenue sharing contract, wholesale price contract). The findings identify the conditions under which smart revenue sharing mechanisms are worth applying

Eco-digital Supply Chains through Blockchains

This paper shows how the implementation of Eco-digital Supply Chain can be realized through the adoption of a Blockchain technology. The focal company pushes suppliers at all tiers through the adoption of green practices for reducing the CO2 emissions and the related costs. Furthermore, logistics costs involved in the Supply Chain make the final assessment highly challenging. We identify the changes in both the Supply Chain structure and performance occurring when the Blockchain enables the creation of an Eco-digital Supply Chai

Eco-digital supply chains through blockchains

This paper shows how the implementation of Eco-digital Supply Chain can be realized through the adoption of a Blockchain technology. The focal company pushes suppliers at all tiers through the adoption of green practices for reducing the CO2 emissions and the related costs. Furthermore, logistics costs involved in the Supply Chain make the final assessment highly challenging. We identify the changes in both the Supply Chain structure and performance occurring when the Blockchain enables the creation of an Eco-digital Supply Chai

Recursive Effects to Study Feature-Based Capabilities in Supply Chain Management

This paper explores the benefits that firms obtain when investing in feature-based capabilities. We investigate the external pressures when deciding their feature-based strategy. In addition, we analyze the consumers\u2019 customization options and the needs for facilitators to mitigate the negative effects of excessive features. We assess the influence of feature-based capabilities on performance and search for an economically feasible loop that feature-based capabilities might entail. This latter is carried out by investigating the recursive effects in structural equation modeling. Our findings reveal that feature-based capabilities entail an economically feasible loop through competitors and supply chain partners but not also through facilitators and operational performance

An orthodox journey towards electrification where sustainability is the centerpiece: the rise and fall of omnia

The presented report relates the personal journey of an active participant of the executive team of a Business in Practice Simulation, through a comprehensive review of the collective cross functional decision making. This report is a reflection on the critical incidents encountered during the course of the program and all the learnings and skills we have gained from them both on a personal and professional level. It comprises a detailed examination and a critical analysis of the different functions required for the management of an automotive manufacturing company in a rapidly changing environment where sustainability is the main concern

Modern circular economy: corporate strategy, supply chain, and industrial symbiosis

This paper analyses the firms’ chances to consider circular economy as a part of the corporate strategy. The analysis of four Italian firms engaged in circular economy programs allows us to detect its connections with the corporate strategy, the real activities involved, the supply chain network ensuring circularity, the industrial symbiosis, as well as the links with performance. Our findings highlight that circular economy is a true business lever when the corporate strategy complements and supports its development. This allows firms to achieve high level targets that go beyond the traditional targets of social, environmental, and economic performance, and include circular supply chain, eco-innovations, and industrial symbiosis

Modern circular economy: Corporate strategy, supply chain, and industrial symbiosis

This paper analyses the firms\u2019 chances to consider circular economy as a part of the corporate strategy. The analysis of four Italian firms engaged in circular economy programs allows us to detect its connections with the corporate strategy, the real activities involved, the supply chain network ensuring circularity, the industrial symbiosis, as well as the links with performance. Our findings highlight that circular economy is a true business lever when the corporate strategy complements and supports its development. This allows firms to achieve high level targets that go beyond the traditional targets of social, environmental, and economic performance, and include circular supply chain, eco-innovations, and industrial symbiosis

Putting the meat in meat-less?: A critical discourse analysis of corporate marketing of plant-based products

The plant-based industry has sustained rapid growth within recent years due to awareness surrounding environmental harms. Due to the rise in profitability of plant-based products in the consumer market, multiple corporations have either acquired or created plant-based brands. The corporations that have done so (Tyson, Smithfield, Kellogg’s, Nestlé, and Conagra Foods) are the subjects of study for this project. These major corporations are also part of the industrial animal agriculture system, and garner profit from meat and dairy businesses. This study explores the way the marketing is embedded in ideologies of Western capitalism and patriarchy. I use critical discourse analysis to analyze 20 statements extracted from the specified companies’ public websites. I found that the corporations constructed their actions and image through a populist framework that in turn embodies hegemonic values. In short, the discourse of the marketing allows for the corporations to evade the significance of their role in ecological, animal, and social harms, while appropriating the values of a movement that itself holds the promise of dismantling corporate dominance over food and nonhumans

A triple bottom line examination of product cannibalisation and remanufacturing: a review and research agenda

Increased momentum in support of a Circular Economy (CE) has motivated the exploration of alternative production and value-retention processes that allow for the decoupling of environmental impacts from economic growth. Remanufacturing, a key value retention process, can enable significant economic, environmental and social (also known as triple-bottom line) advantages. Given their competitive value proposition, remanufactured products are often blamed by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for cannibalising the sale of newly manufactured products. Thus, remanufacturing is often viewed as high-risk, and potentially even a threat to conventional manufacturing activities by many OEMs, often triggering both active and passive countermeasures to protect market share. In many cases, such actions lead to reduced access to cores for remanufactures; they can also work against the uptake of remanufacturing activities that are essential for transitioning to a CE. To achieve a CE, remanufacturing activities must be scaled; however, without a clear understanding of the relationship between remanufacturing and product cannibalisation, OEMs may continue to avoid and/or interfere in remanufacturing systems. Further, in alignment with systems-thinking for CE, we posit that broadly-considered integration of CE dimensions is critical but lacking within the literature. To this end, this systematic review paper aims to clarify and organize the existing scientific literature about product cannibalisation and remanufacturing. We examine these contributions through an expanded Triple Bottom Line lens that aligns with the recognized dimensions of CE: social, environmental, economic, management, policy, and technology. A comprehensive content assessment revealed a predominant economic lens to the research, with statistical analysis, game theory, and numerical experiments as the primary methodologies employed. In addition, opportunities to more comprehensively explore social, policy, management, and technology perspectives as they relate to product cannibalisation and remanufacturing were identified. We develop and apply a new framework for considering product cannibalisation and price competition in the broader context of sustainability and the transition to CE. Finally, in addition to identifying a comprehensive range of stakeholders that need to be engaged, we recommend a future research agenda that explores the specific challenges, interactions, and relationships between product cannibalisation, remanufacturing, and the six dimensions of CE

Price dynamics, profit potential, and cannibalisation effect of remanufactured smartphones: Empirical analysis using eBay data

Despite proven benefits of remanufacturing, original equipment manufacturers have yet to fully engage with such an activity due to increased complexities and fears of lost sales. This thesis aims to shed light on the viability of smartphone remanufacturing by empirically investigating live-listing prices of new and remanufactured smartphones on eBay. Using Functional Data Analysis, it uncovers the price dynamics at each life cycle stage, and reveals notable similarities amongst smartphones, regardless of the differences in generations, models, and conditions. This study then explores the relationship between price and volume, and finds that remanufactured smartphones have high profit potential in online secondary markets. By examining the price-volume relationship across multiple product generations, it shows that remanufactured smartphones cannibalise the profit potential of their new counterparts only when the smartphones are mature. These results challenge the belief that remanufactured smartphones are a threat to new smartphones, and signify a future business avenue that is profitable, yet, environmentally-friendly